11 Career-Changing Podcasts You've Got to Listen to Today

OK, I know. I’m late.

Podcasts are a thing and they’ve been a thing for a while now.

I’m not sure why, but I’ve always been a little resistant to Podcasts and thus, I was late to join the party.

I guess it’s because I’m a reader and writer before anything and the thought of just sitting there and listening to someone speaking slowly about a certain topic always seemed to give me some anxiety. With reading and writing I’ve always felt as though I have the control to turn the page or change the topic, etc.

What if I got bored?

What if I couldn’t make time to listen?

What if I didn’t understand what they were saying?

These were some of the questions swirling around my brain – that is, until I realized how game changing they can actually be.

And when I realized you could speed up the pace of each podcast to 1.5x or even 2x?!

Mind blown.

At first, my podcast playlist consisted of a lot of self-help and news titles, until it dawned on me that I should also be using it to boost my professional development.

And I’m not even going to lie – trying to find a hip, useful and knowledgeable career podcast for someone like me – an urban professional who gets bored easily and also likes to be entertained – was hard as hell.

I kept finding podcasts that were about pop culture and celebrity gossip – and while that’s all good in moderation (I’m OBSESSED with The Read) solely listening to these types of podcasts wasn’t going to help my balance, my growth or my coins…just saying.

So, here’s a list of the top 11 podcasts that will completely change the game and transform the way you work (and therefore, the way you live).

(Click any of the images to be taken directly to the site!)

Brown Ambition is a weekly podcast about career, business, building wealth and living in this brown skin.

The My Taught You podcast is an inspiring space for young, multicultural women that is truthful and honest. She gives game changing advice, quotes and stories that will upgrade your life and career. 

From the Author of the book by the same title, Todd Henry interviews creatives and shares tips on how to jumpstart the creative process on The Accidental Creative.

Childhood friends, Joymarie and Cortney, serve up a weekly dose of candid career convos on Joblogues, a podcast for young professionals.  

On the Art of Charm, you'll learn top strategies to improve your career, confidence and lifestyle from top experts, life and business hackers. 

Beyond the Business Suit is a podcast for ambitious women that uncovers the “secret weapons of success"

On Tiffany Nicole Forever, Tiffany speaks candidly about how to change your mind-set for success; why you’re closer to success than you think; and how to create the life of your dreams.

The Love Your Work and Life podcast from Classy Career Girl is all about how to love your work and life.

The Hashtags+Stilettos podcast is like having your own personal publicist in your pocket. Tune in for business, lifestyle and PR insights and interviews from entrepreneur and PR expert Sakita Holley.

Paychecks and Balances is a personal finance and career advice podcast. They have fun helping people navigate work and money. 

Behind the Brilliance is a weekly podcast that blend's Lisa's inspiring and funny musings with conversations from some of the world's most creative and inspiring people. 

Do you listen to any of them?

Drop me a note in the comments and let me know what you think or if I’m missing any. Even though my un-listened to list is out of control right now, I’m not afraid to add some more!

8 Career Hacks to Find Your New Gig in 2017

If one of your goals for 2017 is to get yourself a new gig, you’re not alone. Over half of everybody who works, doesn’t like their job. That means that a good portion of these people will be putting “Get a new job” on the top of their list of things to do in the new year.

Whether this is the first time in a long time you’ll be joining the community of active job seekers or this isn’t your first time around the block, the rules have changed when it comes to finding a new job.

In order to be fully equipped to deal with everything that comes with looking for a new job, it helps to have an arsenal of resources at your disposal.

Here’s a list of the top career hacks I’ve used (to land my dream job this year with a $25k raise and other perks out the wazoo) and that you can use too for your job search in 2017.

LinkedIn

It should come as no surprise that LinkedIn is at the top of my list. It really is the #1 best resource for anyone trying to find a new job. Whether you want to network with hiring managers or take a peek at current job openings, you’ll find everything you need here. If you don’t have an account set up already, go to LinkedIn now and set one up. Once you’re done, click here to learn how to use your account and have recruiters begging you to come in for a job interview.

The Muse

The Muse serves up a daily dose of real life, practical career advice no matter what industry you’re currently in or want to be. They publish about 10 articles per day and I can almost guarantee you’ll find a topic on any career topic you can think of. Want tips on how to write the perfect cover letter? Go to The Muse. Advice on how to kill it in your next phone interview? Go to The Muse. And the best part is their writers give you advice in a quick, witty and conversational way.

Google alerts

This has got to be one of my best kept secrets. Let’s say you want to switch industries, but you don’t know where to start? Set up a google alert using the key words you want to monitor and you’ll get an email sent directly to your inbox with relevant information you want to be aware of. I’ve used Google alerts to help me stay on top of companies I’m interviewing for or trends in my current industry. The possibilities are endless and will help you look like you’re so smart!

Skillshare

Remember when the only way you could learn a new topic or skill was to enroll at your local community college? Yea. Me neither. That’s because in today’s world, learning a new skill is as simple as doing a google search. I’ve expected with a few of the self-paced on line learning sites out there and Skillshare is definitely on the top of my list. Whether you need to brush up on your Excel skills or learn how to give a killer presentation, there are thousands of classes available to you to expand your knowledge base (so you can add them to your resume).

Career Coach

You may think I’m bias, but believe me I’m not. Even if I wasn’t a career coach, as an experienced HR professional, I would tell you that hiring a career coach to help you navigate your job search (and your career in general) is always a good idea. There are so many hidden resources a coach can provide and the simple act of having an accountability partner to help you through the process of landing your new job can make all the difference.

Glassdoor.com

At some point during your job search you’re going to want to do your research on how much you should be getting paid or what employees think about the company you’re working for. Since it can be awkward (and sometimes inappropriate) to ask these questions directly, Glassdoor.com is the perfect solution. This site provides so much information about companies, salaries and industries. It really is the secret weapon for any savvy job seeker.

Eventbrite

You may be saying: “Eventbrite? Huh?” Listen, the easiest way to find a new job is through a referral. And the more diverse and extensive your network is, the easier it will be for those referrals to find their way to you. Eventbrite is a great way for you to find conferences, networking events and social gatherings in your area.

TED

Making it a daily or weekly habit to tune into new TED talks is a great way to learn new information as well as stay motivated and inspired during your search.  I’ve found that ever since I’ve gotten into the videos on TED, I’ve become better at small talk, cultivated a lot of new interests and become an overall more interesting person.

Well, there you have it. My list of the hacks that have really helped me take my career to the next level over the past few years. Which ones will you use? Shoot me an email and let me know.

-Dorianne

7 Simple Questions to Ask Yourself to Set Career Goals for 2017

There's nothing like a new beginning. A fresh, clean slate for you to do things even better than you did the last time around.

And with the biggest and most anticipated new beginning of them all only a few days away, I can't help but get excited about all the possibilities for the new year.

If I'm being honest though, along with the excitement of the endless possibilities that await me in 2017, comes the realization that there's so much I want to see, be and do.

Whether it's #relationshipgoals, #bodygoals, #hairgoals, #travelgoals or #moneygoals - it can all be so overwhelming.

And don't even get me started on #careergoals. Where do you even begin? Should they be specific? General? Based on where you are now? Or where you want to go?

It can be a lot to think about.

What happens to most people is that when there are too many options or too many directions to go in, instead of moving forward, you just stop.

You get stuck in the confusion of it all and begin to feel stunted and before you know it, it's December 26, 2017 and you haven't moved the needle on your career since the same time the year before.

The seven simple career questions that follow are ones you've got to ask yourself as you head into 2017.

These questions are meant to get you to take a step back and get clear on the direction you want your career to go in 2017 so you can begin to create the right goals for the new year.

7  Simple Career Questions to Ask Yourself as You Head Into 2017:

1. What role do I want work to play in the kind of life I want to live in 2017?
2. What is the #1 way I’d like to get out of my comfort zone in 2017?
3. What are the 1-3 experiences I’d like to have in 2017?
4. How do I want to describe my job/career in 2017?
5. What do I want to get really good at doing in my career in 2017?
6. What is the word or phrase for my career in 2017?
7. What do I want to be feeling exactly one year from today when it comes to my career?

The goal of these questions isn't to stress you out or to make you feel like you're behind in any way.

Instead, these questions are meant to give you some clarity on what you want and maybe even why you want it - all so you can walk confidently and boldly into the new year with a clear idea of what you want professionally.

Once you go through all the questions, if you want to increase your chances of achieving your career goals by 95%, then click here to join the 2017 Goal Getters Accountability Group, today!

Join the group of women who are ready to not just talk about their 2017 goals, but also achieve them!

See you on the other side.

-Dorianne

No B.S. Career Advice from Working Mom - Nichole Bailey

For working moms, the work day doesn't end at 5:00 when it's time to leave the office. Besides work commitments, there are also many commitments at home that need to be taken care of. I always think it's fascinating to hear how other working moms juggle life and work and what their specific routines are. Below is a peek into the world of working mom, Nichole.

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My name is Nichole and I'm a working mom of 2 children - a girl and a boy.

My working mom life is currently evolving, after 7 years working in Compliance at American Express Corp., putting in 13 hour work days, sacrificing countless family time, and being passed up for a promotion in the process, I decided to re-assess and evaluate my professional relationship and my career trajectory with the company. After careful consideration I decided to pursue a role with their major competitor, JP Morgan & Chase. Still in a Compliance role, I'm working more on the Operational Risk side of the business in a management capacity and I'm getting acclimated to that. My evenings with my family are mine, and my overall stress level has subsided tremendously.

As a working mother I've always sought out companies that valued one of my core values- work life balance. This was a significant factor when thinking about growing my family & deciding to work for American Express and would be equally as important as a mom withtwo young children in elementary school deciding to leave American Express. Being able to pick my kids up from school, attend school activities, volunteer,  be present for extracurricular activities are staples I don't want to compromise for a paycheck or a title.

My greatest professional goal right now is to navigate within the culture of my new firm. After being with a company for 7+ years. There's a lot of institutional knowledge and subject matter expertise that is developed and ingrained.  Finding how to leverage and transition this expertise elsewhere is my current goal.

I don't have a fear in accomplishing this goal as I know it's attainable with time and dedication. I've resolved to the fact that it's not enough to keep your head down working and waiting for accolades.  It's imperative to network, charter your course, navigate and be seen.

Every day I'm pushing past the fear and trying to challengethe status quo. My goal is to break the glass ceiling as a double minority. I'm a woman and African American. I'm a working mother - which also means my contribution in at work may have different constraints than my counter parts who are male, don't have children or who have different child care options. My husband (who also is in Corporate banking) and I solely manage the drop off/ pick up of our children. That says a lot on the limitations in work hours we can give onsite.

My no B.S. advice for other working mothers is to manage the process before the process manages you.

Long gone are the days where we act like our families don't exist. Where we put in the work to be acknowledged professionally but are failing in our private lives. Long gone are the days we are expected as women to re-enter the home at the end of the day as if we never left. We have to manage both ends of the process so we can operate at our highest frequency.

The good news is, It can be done!

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